We want to acknowledge the acts of white supremacist violence that were inflicted on people in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas in the recent mass shootings. We know that these are not isolated incidents, but part of an organized white supremacist movement.
We want to honor that People of Color in our congregation may feel particularly vulnerable, and that many of us have had feelings of grief, anger, and horror. Representatives from Journey Toward Wholeness Antiracism Team and Justice leaders of the church came together to give us some ideas about moving forward.
- JTW will hold an antiracism and anti-oppression gathering on September 1 and there will be an opportunity for both the People of Color caucus and the white allies for racial equity caucus to share reflections about the shootings. For more information, contact jtw@uuoakland.org.
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There are active shooter policies at our church that are being augmented by facilities manager Stefan Schneider and a member of the board.
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If you are interested in being part of a rapid response when there are incidents of white supremacist violence in our area, please contact:Stevetb@earthlink.net
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Resources for reflection so we can take more seriously the white supremacist/white nationalist movements that are no longer on the fringes in our country.
Reverend Rosemary Bray McNatt, President of Starr King School for the Ministry,
https://www.sksm.edu/2019/08/
Amanda Udis- Kesslerv via the UUA:
https://www.uua.org/worship/